Parvulus Ex Astrum
by Zebu123cheer
Summary: Draco joins the ranks, and is given a mission. Ariana an American student with special gifts transfers to Hogwarts, and meets Draco. Twists and Turns will aften these two as the year progresses.
1. Enter the Dragon

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any of the Harry Potter themes, characters, locations, or ideas.

Chapter 1 - Enter the Dragon

Voldemort turned to look at his death eaters all huddled around a table awaiting his instructions. 

"Continue your tasks. We shall reconvene in three days time to discuss. You are dismissed."

His tongue dragged out the hiss in his last word, as if caught in his throat, and his finger rose to pet the snake coiled around the back of his chair.

"Draco, we shall speak in private." The dark lord rose as Draco gracefully bowed his head and followed the lord into the study beyond the meeting room. The Dark Lord sank slowly into the chair placed behind a large elaborately carved desk, where he looked at Draco. 

"Your first assignment as the newest under my command is a very specific one. I require the use of your charm and poise. It will play an important role in your ability to accomplish this mission."

Opening the top left drawer of the desk he pulled out a delicate necklace of what looked like platinum, with a large crystal pendant dangling from the chain. The necklaces beauty outshined even the scaley and ghostly white hands from which it hung. Draco's eyes lifted from the sparkling crystal to the Dark Lord.

"What is my mission, my lord?"

"You will see a young lady in Diagon Alley when you go there tomorrow, wearing a necklace identical to this one. Your mission will be to woo the young lady. You must get her to trust you, show her loyalty, and fall in love with you if possible. In time, bring her to our side."

He handed Draco the necklace and a picture from the drawer in a very distinct way that portrayed that the conversation was complete. Draco accepted the items and bowing his head again in a low respectful voice said

"My lord, if I may….How can I woo the girl seeing her only once? And what purpose will this mission serve for you goals?"

The red eyes of the Dark Lord grew cold and glared at Draco. His voice spat his displeasure and rage at the boy as he answered.

"Draco, as this is your first assignment as a death eater, I will pretend that you did not have the nerve to question my tasks. In the future, you will remember that what I ask of you is to be done, at all costs, and without question, or you will suffer the dire consequences I feel fit your failures. And as to your stupidity, I have made arrangements for the girl to be transferred to Hogwarts and she will be a Slytherin Sixth Year. How I was able to ensure this information is also not a fact you need to know. When you have gained her trust, you will replace her necklace with the one you now hold. Remember Draco, the Dark Lord can read the thoughts you leave so carelessly strewn about your brain. You can't hide from me, even in your own head."

"Thank you for your mercy my lord, I shall not forget, and I shall not fail." 

Draco bowed deeply, and the dark lord waved his wand. Draco saw that the new mark that had minutes before blazed on his left forearm shrank and slid to his wrist, hidden below his watch.

"Tell no one at Hogwarts of your status, or face my wrath. Now GO."

Draco respectfully backed out of the room. Returning to his own chambers, he found a letter perched on his desk in the familiar scrawl of his father. 

_Draco,_

_Your mother and I are so proud to see you be the first of your age to join the ranks of Voldemort, and we hope that you understand what an Honor it is to be a part of his ranks. Your missions are to be kept private, and told to no one, not even your parents or friends. We wish you the best of luck with whatever task the Dark Lord has entrusted to you, and we give you this pin as a portkey for when the Dark Lord calls._

_Your Loving Father, Lucius Malfoy_

Draco removed the pin from the envelope, and found it was a small black and silver pin of the Malfoy Crest. He pinned it to the cuff of his sleeves and placed the necklace in the envelope, putting in the topmost compartment of his school trunk. Walking to his bed, he laid down resting his torso on the headboard, and looked at the picture in his hands.

This girl, whatever her name was not someone he would have ignored had he met her on the street. She was certainly someone a Malfoy would feel confident being seen with in public. Her brilliant blonde waves fell past her shoulders, and her blue eyes pierced through the picture, and it felt like they pierced all the way to his brain, the way Lord Voldemort's had with his deep red snakelike eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off the picture, the girl was simply beautiful. There was no other way to describe her, and Malfoy started to fear that even he would falter in her presence. 

Oh, god help him if his father knew of his doubts. A Malfoy must always be the charming, elegant, center of attention in public. That was what the Malfoy name demanded of it's descendants. Still the eyes of the girl brought him back to his encounter with the Dark Lord in the study…Draco knew that his family had expected him to join the ranks of Voldemort, but it had not been fully of his own decision that he had accepted the mark. His devotion to his parents and their cause had been enough to fool the Dark Lord into accepting his answers as truth, but it had not been how he truly felt in his heart. He was glad that the Lord was not here in his room now to read these thoughts, and equally glad that his mission was one of wooing, not killing, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that harm would likely come to the girl after his part of the mission was over. He would start with this mission and go from there. With that thought Draco slid down onto the bed and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Diagon Alley

Chapter 2 - Diagon Alley

Draco dressed and looked at himself in the mirror, noting how dashing he thought he looked this morning. Arriving at the dining room for breakfast, he felt his confidence rise with the looks he was getting from his parents. Grabbing a piece of toast and a few bites of eggs, he left the dining room, telling his parents he would be out shopping for school supplies with Crabbe and Goyle. 

Ariana Vendralos brushed her hair behind her shoulders and pushed herself into the fireplace with a wave back at her parents and calling her travel location into the flames. Arriving at The Leaky Cauldron she politely asked the barman how to get into Diagon Alley. 

Minutes later she was walking her way to the cobblestone street with shops on either side.

Ariana couldn't believe how her life had changed so drastically in the matter of a week. After telling her parents how she wanted to try new things, and experience new places, she had suddenly received a visit from the potions master at a school in London. She was amazed that they would allow her to transfer schools for her sixth year. Perhaps her parents had talked the school into it somehow, but she still couldn't believe it was happening. Now she was not only moving in a few days time to another country for school, but wandering down the most well known magical street in London by herself to buy school supplies. It was amazing that so much could change in so little a time.

Ariana looked at all the shops, overwhelmed by how such a small street could fit so many shops and people without feeling so crowded. Sighing she looked down at the list in her hands, and paused at the apothecary shop window glancing through her potions needs on the list.

Unknown to her three boys had walked up behind her. Two were rather large and brutish looking, while the other was tall, slim and elegant. The tall one simply looked at her for a moment before speaking.

"Pardon me, but you look a bit….lost….might I be able to help you,"

Ariana raised her gaze to look at the boy. He was slightly taller than her, with platinum blond hair slicked back. His eyes were a dazzling silvery gray, and he carried himself in a way that implied he was of some importance in the British wizarding world.

Draco became momentarily lost in her gaze as she looked at him, then remembering his mission; he raised his hand and offered it to her.

"My name is Draco Malfoy, and you are?"

"Ariana," 

Her mind was lost for a few seconds while she looked at Draco, so much so that she forgot to introduce herself properly.

"Well Ariana, it's very nice to meet you. Do you have a surname?"

"Sorry, it's Vendralos. And yes, I'd love some help finding my school supplies if you're willing."

As they walked into the apothecary, Draco waved Crabbe and Goyle to wait outside with a smirk that told them that he was up to no good. Turning back to Ariana he returned a genuine smile to his face, something he was rarely able to show people.

"So Ariana, tell me, most students in London attend Hogwarts, yet this is the first time I've seen you, what school do you attend?"

"I attended Addamarr in the United States the last several years, but I've been offered a chance to transfer to Hogwarts. I'm so very excited, but extremely nervous. I'll be meeting with the headmaster later this afternoon."

"How wonderful, perhaps we will have the good fortune of being in the same house." 

Draco paused at a shelf handing Ariana several bottles of various ingredients labeled as bat eyeballs and frog tongues, then continued to the next isle. He was careful to be as graceful and dashing as he could possibly seem, handing her boxes and small bags, all the while explaining to her the house system that was used at Hogwarts. He took extra care to emphasis the wonders that were the Slytherin house, remembering what the Dark Lord had told him the previous day in the study.

"Thank you so much for helping me find all this, I do appreciate it. Perhaps we could have some lunch so I can thank you properly."

Ariana's face lit up as she handed the clerk several coins and looked at Malfoy, hopeful that he would oblige.

"I would be honored. In fact, I know just the place." 

Malfoy opened the door as swept after Ariana as the left the store and returned to the busy street. Sending a wink in the direction of his waiting friends, he offered his arm to Ariana and they continued down the cobblestoned path. Finally, they arrived at a small rather proper looking restaurant and they entered taking a table in the farthest corner so they could continue their conversation in relative quiet.

"You mentioned you grew up in the states. Is this your first trip to our fair country?

"Why yes, and all by myself no less. That's why I'm so grateful for your assistance. London seems like a terribly busy place, and it's so new to me, but I'm anxious to see how my classes will differ at Hogwarts."

"Well I'm sure you'll find your place in no time, after all at least you'll know someone when you get to school in a weeks time. And I'm always willing to lend a hand. Perhaps I can give you a tour."

"That would be lovely! I certainly have a lot to catch up with, and learning the school is just another task to pile on the top. I've forgotten to ask you, what year and house are you?"

"I'm a Sixth year, and a Slytherin, proud and true. I hope you'll be joining me, but of course only time will tell. Did you say you're meeting with the headmaster today?"

"Oh! Yes! Do you have the time?"

"It's nearly quarter of three."

"Oh dear! I'll be late if I don't hurry. Can you tell me the way to the Lark's Café?" 

"Certainly, I'll walk you there myself." Draco threw down several coins for their meal, and turned winking to Ariana as they left the restaurant. "Lunch is on me, in honor of your first meal in London."

Arriving at a café with white fence surrounding several small circular tables and a bright pink wooden bird atop the marquee, Draco stopped and bowed ever so slightly, gently kissing Ariana's hand.

"Having reached your destination, I bid you adieu. I will see you again at school Ms. Vendralos. Fair thee well."

"Why thank you for all your help, yet again. See you soon!" 

With a smile more sincere than any she remembered having, she turned and opened the gate to the café, and waved farewell to her companion. Spotting a tall slim man wearing a royal blue robe with shining silver stars, who had risen to meet her, she proceeded to the table where the man stood.

"Why hello my dear, you must be Ariana Vendralos. You look just like the picture you sent us. Please, take a seat my dear. I am Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Why thank you headmaster, it's a pleasure to meet you. I have so many questions to ask."

"Well let us start with a simple one then and proceed from there."

"Very well. I met a student, who was ever so helpful with my potions ingredients, and he explained to me the way your house system worked, but how will I know to which house I am to be a part?"

"Well my dear, that is indeed a simple question. I have here in my sack, the very answer to that question."

Reaching down to the suitcase type bag by his feet, Dumbledore pulled up a torn and tattered leather wizard's hat. Handing it to Ariana with a sparkle in his eye, he told her to try it on. After fitting it to her head, and a moment's pause, the hat's brim opened.

"I think the place that 'tis best for this lass is the house whose color is green as the grass. A Slytherin deep at heart is she, so she shall join her new friend Mr. Malfoy."

"Ah ha! I think that answers your inquiry rather easily, don't you?" Dumbledore took the hat back from a nodding and smiling Ariana, and returned it to the bag beside his chair. Offering her a glass of water, he continued.

"Now my dear, what other questions do you have for me?"

"I wondered headmaster, what might I need to do to catch up to the other sixth year students. I'm sure my education has covered different topics to some extent, and I'm worried that I may be behind in some subjects."

"My dear, I think we can easily find ways to help a bright, passionate student like yourself catch up on your subjects."

Ariana's mind began to wonder as Dumbledore began to explain some of the things that were covered by the various professors at Hogwarts, and thought back to the gorgeous smile Draco had given her earlier that afternoon. She would be in the same house as him, and that was more wonderful than she could have hoped. She would at least have a friend nearby while she was adjusting to the many new things around her. She remembered how she had drowned in those silvery gray eyes, and glancing sideways realized how they exactly matched the color of the handbag resting against the foot of a witch several tables down. As she thought about it, she felt the wind sweep a curl of her buttery blond hair off her face, and suddenly the several chairs and tables between her and that witch slammed against those to either side, as if clearing a path for her. The other witches sitting in the courtyard screamed and jumped out of their chairs in fright, but Ariana simple watched in surprise and remained in her seat.

Dumbledore smiled out of the corner of his mouth and stopped what he was saying. Looking at Ariana, he flicked his wand and the furniture returned to its proper place.

"Are you alright my dear?"

Snapping her attention back to the headmaster, Ariana looked back at the glass before her on the table.

"Yes, I am, just confused more than anything else."

"Ah, nothing to fear I think. I often wish my own furniture would get bored of its place and move itself. It would certainly save me the trouble of rearranging it myself. But alas, I must return to the school. I trust you will be able to ask me the remainder of your questions once the term has started?"

"Yes, of course. Thank you for your time headmaster. I will see you when I arrive at school. I saw the arrangements that were made for my transportation to the grounds in my letter, and I look forward to starting the term."

"Very good." Dumbledore said as he held open the gate. With a glance back at the table, which had remained where he had put them, he chuckled deep in his throat, and whispered to himself.

"We will have much work to do in order to catch you up Ms. Vendralos. More work than you expect I think, but what an adventure it will be."


	3. To Hogwarts

Chapter 3 - To Hogwarts

Ariana had spent the remainder of the week excitedly packing and unpacking her trunk to the point that her parents were making her do time consuming housecleaning chores during every possible second she was awake, just to stop her from checking her trunk contents. Finally on her last night she had checked over her things one last time, and neatly packed everything into its proper place. Just as she finished setting the framed photo of her family on top of her clothes, her mother walked into the doorway.

"Honey, you're not a first year, you know what to pack, and we can always send you anything you may have forgotten if you really need it. Please just relax on your last night at home."

"You're right mom, I'm just so nervous. I don't really know what to expect. It's not like it's just a different school, it's a whole other country. For that matter, it's a whole other continent!"

"Well, come down to dinner, maybe some food will ease your mind a bit. I made your favorite, and I even heard you father mention going to that muggle stand for ice cream later tonight."

Ariana resigned herself to get her nerves off her mind and enjoy her last night at home with her parents. Besides, at least Draco would be there to help her get aquatinted once she arrived.

Ariana waved to her parents one last time as she checked her watch and sat on her trunk settling her other possessions in her arms. She heard the clock on the mantle chime once and felt the tug behind her bellybutton as the metal Hogwarts crest in her hand became an active portkey, and whisked her off to the Hogwarts Grounds. Professor Snape, the potions professor that had first come to talk to her about transferring to Hogwarts, stood waiting for her on the rolling green lawn. As Ariana stood up she levitated her belongings with a flick of her wand, and proceeded toward where the professor was standing, admiring the towering castle she could see just beyond the lake.

"I was going to offer to get your bags, but you seem to have them under control. Welcome to Hogwarts Ms. Vendralos. The headmaster informs me that the sorting hat placed you in my house, so I welcome you to Slytherin as well. Let's get you to the carriage and up to the castle so you can get yourself settled before the train arrives with the other students.

Having gotten her things settled in her new room, and looked around the dungeons that made up the Slytherin dorms and common room, she sat down on her bed, and waited for her fellow classmates to arrive. She did not have to wait long before she could hear the hustle and bustle of the upperclassmen as they arrived. With a pop, the trunks and other belongings of her fellow sixth year girls appeared at the foot of their beds.

"I'd get up if I were you." A medium height mousy girl with deep brown hair hanging down her back stepped into the room and walked to her trunk.

Scrambling off the bed just as another pop announced the sheets folding themselves around the mattresses; Ariana walked over to the girl and offered her hand. 

"Hello, I'm Ariana Vendralos. I just transferred."

"Yes, I'm aware. The headmaster told us you were coming. I'm Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin Prefect. Which means you'll need to listen to what I tell you."

Setting down her coat on her trunk, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room, robe swirling behind her. Ariana after a moment followed her out into the common room, and found Pansy just sitting down on a deep green couch next to none other than Draco. Spotting Ariana in the doorway, Draco rose and neatly glided his way to the door, leaving pansy between Crabbe and Goyle, looking rather rejected.

"Hello! I was hoping to see you as soon as we'd arrived. Was your trip well? I didn't see you on the train."

"It was fine, thank you. I'm just anxious to meet everyone."

Turning to the rest of the common room, Draco raised his voice about the din.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Ariana Vendralos, she's just transferred from the states. I hope everyone will make her feel as welcome as possible. She is after all a fellow Slytherin."

A clock chimed on the wall and the common room began to empty as the students left the dungeons for the great hall. Offering his arm, Draco and Ariana followed, with a pouting Pansy not far behind. 

Once entering the great hall, Draco saw the back of three familiar heads just ahead of him in the crowd, and couldn't miss an opportunity to sling a comment their direction.

"Goyle, I thought I smelled something foul, until I noticed Granger, and knew it was because there was a filthy mudblood nearby with a dirty weasel beside. I'm surprised Potter hasn't fainted of the stench!"

Immediately Draco realized his mistake as Ariana dropped his arm and filtered her way into the crowd. The room seemed to grow drastically colder, but most of the students passing through brushed it off as the breeze coming through the giant front doors which remained open as the last of the upper-class students streamed through. Draco would have to explain his rivalry to Ariana later, but he knew he had let his past habits tarnish the pristine façade he had created in Diagon Alley, and it would take quite a bit of work to repair the damage. Draco momentarily felt bad for the girl. Lord Voldemort had assigned him to go after the girl's heart and emotions for Salazar know what reasons, and had made sure she was assigned to a house that quite obviously did not seem to fit her personality. This assignment was shaping up to be as difficult as he had previously thought, and feared it might become.

Following the crowd to the Slytherin table, he seated himself not at his normal seat, but a little ways down the table next to where Ariana had sat. Leaning over to her and gently placing his hand on hers he whispered in her ear.

"I apologize, Ariana. Perhaps those comments came out more harshly than I intended. You see, those three have been my rivals since our first year, and I must say that the animosity has gotten worse each year since then. I would not say such things to just anyone, and perhaps I should rethink what I say to the three of them as well, but I hope you can at least understand why I said what I said, and give me another chance. I'll leave you alone to think about what I said, but please, find me later if you're willing to talk."

Releasing her hand, he stood, and strode back to the seat he usually occupied and sat, waiting for the first years to enter.

With the sorting complete, and Dumbledore's speech ended, Ariana began pilling the mounds of delicious looking food with mouth watering aromas onto the plate that had appeared in front of her. All the things that had happened this evening were already such an experience, what with a singing hat that sorted students, appearing dinnerware and food, and a headmaster that she would have thought crazy, had she not met him in person just a few days prior. She enjoyed the assortment of foods that overflowed the table, and tried so many new dishes that she couldn't remember which she had liked and which she had vowed never to eat again. The feast ending, she followed the rest of the Slytherins back to the dungeons and returned to her room, where she found only slightly more welcoming roommates than Pansy had been. 

Daphne Greengrass, a copper haired girl standing at a mere four feet and five inches, proved to have a temper that could be set off as easily as a blast ended-screw. She quickly pointed out that Ariana had taken her bed by screaming it to everyone in the dungeon, and demanded that Ariana relocate her belongings at once. This fact, Pansy had failed to mention earlier that night, most likely so she could witness the outcome for entertainment later on. 

Millicent Bulstrode resembled a large bullfrog crossed with a boulder that had been transfigured into a human in a nasty experiment gone array. She seemed about as bright as a boulder as well, but sadly was the least mean and harsh of the group. That's not to say she had been nice, far from it, but at least she had been civil to Ariana, and answered her questions about class schedules with an attempt at an answer, and minimal tone.

Melania Bole was a wickedly devilish girl with jet black hair the color of burnt ash after a forest fire. She appeared to always spend her time with Pansy from what Ariana could see, and they certainly were a match made for each other, judging from their foul and snobbish dispositions. The final sixth year was Mallory Vaisey who played chaser on the house quidditch team. She had gleaming trophies lining the shelves on her side of the room, and she was as pushy and demanding as one would expect from a chaser, especially one on a team that was "determined to succeed" as the sorting hat had described the Slytherin house. Come to think of it, Ariana didn't think she was in the right house at all. Of the other traits the hat had described, she felt this was the least like her. Loyal, brave, thirsty for knowledge, all of these seemed more like her than these people she would be spending most of her time with for the next two years. Perhaps her friendship with Draco had influenced where she was placed… and Draco had certainly shown his true colors at dinner. 

Ariana, feeling rejected from the group in the common room, retired to the sixth year room, and sat on her bed to think. She was unsure of what to make of Draco. He had seemed so charming just a week before, but the way he threw insults at the three Gryffindors made her questions what his true motives were. Certainly he had tried to apologize, claiming to see the error of his ways, but after six years of rivalry, why would one reaction from her be enough for him to change his mind. Ariana felt like she was being played. Played by Draco Malfoy, the sorting hat, and everyone she had met in the last few days. Smiling to herself, she thought of the muggle television shows they called reality. She thought that perhaps this situation she was in would make an entertaining one. Placed in a backwards environment, simply for the people's viewing pleasure. Yes, that was how she would think about it until she could talk to the headmaster about what was transpiring. 

With another loud pop that announced house elf magic, a green bat-eared elf in a lavender nightgown appeared beside her bed.

"Ariana Vendralos?" It inquired with its head cocked to the side.

Nodding slightly, she accepted a parchment envelope it handed her before disappearing. She glanced for a moment at the beautiful scrawl in which her name was written before opening the envelope and withdrawing a matching piece of paper.

_Dear Ms. Vendralos,_

_As per our conversation prior to the start of term, I have made arrangements to aid in the disappearance of your fears in regards to coursework. Please meet me at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon to discuss this matter further._

_Sincerely, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore_

Excitedly she tucked the letter with her other school supplies on the trunk and returned to the common room, in hopes that her presence might inspire at least a slight rise in hospitality in her fellow Slytherins.

She found Draco chatting with his fellow sixth year boys, and she sat nearby listening so she could learn their names. The two brutish boys she had seen him with the week before were Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. These two seemed to the closest to him of the group, although Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, two other boys seemed to have a lot in common as well. They were all muttering about some great opportunity and how they were looking forward to whatever it was, but their discussion seemed purposefully vague. It was as if they were discussing some inside joke, told so outsiders would not have even a hint of the joke, yet they weren't laughing at something, just discussing.

Finally giving up for the night, Ariana again retired to her room, hoping beyond hope that she'd wake up in the morning to a different setting entirely. Maybe they just needed to get to know her a bit first, and they'd be kinder once they did. With this thought, she drifted off to sleep.


	4. I'm No Pansy

Chapter 4 - I'm No Pansy

Waking the next morning and getting ready to head to breakfast and classes, Ariana was confused and surprised at how the mood of the other girls seemed to be so much different than the night before. She didn't know why, but the only was to describe it was that they had become almost kind. Pansy showed her the way to the great hall, taking her on a brief tour of several hallways on the way there, and Melania had even saved her a seat near the rest of the sixth years. Mallory commented on how lovely her hair looked, and Millicent sat staring at her for several minutes before turning her attention back to her breakfast. Not to say that she wasn't pleased, Ariana was bewildered at the drastic change in her classmates. She looked up from her eggs as she reached for a piece of toast, and saw Draco wink at her with one of those liquid silver eyes. She couldn't help but smile a bit to herself. Maybe he was the cause for the sudden turnaround, trying to make things up to her. Either way, she was certainly heading in a better direction this morning than it had seemed the night before.

While Ariana returned her gaze to reviewing her schedule, she did not see a rather green-eyed Pansy Parkinson watching Draco as he flashed that wink at her. Perhaps she should have, but time would remedy that itself. At three o'clock on her schedule it listed "private lessons" a listing she did not see on the schedule of the people to either side of her. This must be what Dumbledore had meant in his letter, she thought. 

Leaning over to Melania, she asked for the directions to the transfiguration room, waving off Melania's offer to walk her there by saying she wanted a challenge to find it herself. Ariana collected her things and ventured off to the grand staircase that led to the upper floors of the main castle.

Turning right and walking through a door pretending to be a midnight blue tapestry, she walked down a hallway with an old tarnishing suit of armor making a peculiar buzzing sound. As she neared the suit, it began clinking as well, and as she passed it, it burst out laughing. A whitish-gray figure glided out of the headpiece and slid along the ceiling watching her, still buzzing as it went. Unknown to Ariana, Draco had entered the hallway behind her and was watching the interaction.

"And who might this student be? Peeves knows all but the little first years, but this one escapes little peeve-sy. What's your name, and where do you belong!"

"I'm Ariana, and I'm in Slytherin. I just transferred here."

"Well Ariana, let me be the first to welcome you." 

With an evil laugh, green goo the consistency of maple syrup started to drip from the ceiling just ahead of Ariana, but she didn't notice until she had stepped under it.

"Away with you Peeves, or I'll find the Bloody Baron" A slow drawl that Ariana recognized immediately, commanded as it walked behind her. Lowering to a velvety whisper, Draco tapped her shoulder with his wand, murmuring a cleaning spell, and making the green slime disappear.

"You'll want to avoid Peeves when you can, he's the resident poltergeist. We should be getting to class though, unless you'd like to be late."

Offering his arm again as Ariana muttered her thanks; they made their way up several more staircases and down a few more hallways before finding the transfiguration classroom. 

"My apologizes class, the castle must not have wanted us to meet today, given how many extra floors it decided to add to the staircase this morning. Ms. Vendralos, I guarantee that the voyage to my class will be shorter in the future, today was an exception."

As the class began, and a review of the previous year's assignments was discussed, Ariana realized just how different the Hogwarts Castle was from the Addamarr Mansion. At least at that building the classrooms stayed where they were put by the architects. This would definitely be a bigger adventure than she thought if she had to find new classrooms every class period for the remainder of the year. Turning her attention back to the discussion she realized she had missed several spells, and Pansy, noticing her lost look, slid her paper closer so she could see. 

The next class of the day was with the Ravenclaws at the greenhouses. These seemed much easier to find, and Ariana doubted that they relocated when they got tired of their locale. After an hour of cleaning green goo similar to that which Peeves had dropped on her, out of enormous pea pods, and shaving hairs off strange blue radishes, Ariana felt confident that this would not be her strong subject. Making a mental note to ask Dumbledore for books on herbology as she washed the goo off her sleeve, she gathered her things and heading to the great hall for lunch. 

Mallory hooked onto her right arm just as Melania came up on the other side, and both started gossiping about some second year that had lit their teacup on fire that morning at breakfast, and asking her if she thought that the Alabaster Glogs would have a reunion tour. As best as Ariana could piece together, the accident was after she had left for class, and the Alabaster Glogs seemed to be a band the girls admired with a steamy voiced veela as a lead singer. 

At lunch the girls gabbed about all the professors, and who assigned the most homework, and which teachers liked which houses best. Ariana felt confident that the school politics at Hogwarts would be similar to those at Addmarr. They had four houses there, which meant even more rivalry was afoot between students as well as faculty. 

Finally after lunch Ariana had a subject she knew couldn't differ much from her old classes. Ancient Runes was a subject that was universal, being as it was old, and didn't change. Arriving to class, she was pleased to see it was another class she shared with Draco, but it did not appear that Pansy had the class with them. 

They were paired up to review the mother runes (Fehu, Hagalaz, and Tiwaz) and their interactions, in preparation for an essay due later in the week, and Ariana was pleased to be paired with Draco, who seemed as knowledgeable about the runes as she was. Their conversation and project was the most enjoyable part of Ariana's day to that point.

Next up, and last for the day was her meeting with Dumbledore. Ariana realized as runes ended that she didn't know where to meet the headmaster, but was quickly relieved to find him waiting for her outside the ancient runes classroom. She followed him through the castle, eventually arriving at a statue of a gargoyle, which sprang to one side when the word Hershey Kiss was mentioned. Climbing a spiral staircase, they at last arrived at a somewhat large circular room, whose walls were covered top to bottom with paintings that were watching the two carefully. 

"Welcome to Hogwarts at last Ms. Vendralos. Have your lessons been well?"

"Certainly headmaster, thank you," Ariana smiled and sat in the chair the headmaster motioned her toward.

"You see, Ariana, I've listed private lessons on your schedule because I feel you would excel with special tutelage. In fact, I saw something very special about you during our meeting that makes me feel that perhaps I would be the best teacher for you this year."

Ariana blushed embarrassedly as she thought back to how the chairs had jumped aside during their meeting in Diagon Alley, and wondered if that had anything to do with what the headmaster was talking about.

"Have you heard of the Parvulus Ex Astrum?"

Ariana shook her head in a slow and confused manner. What did that have to do with her and the headmaster and why he would be the one giving her private lessons each week. Not that she wasn't pleased to hear she'd be getting special attention, but confused none the less.

"I will admit to you, Ms. Vendralos, with the understanding that what I tell you in this room is confidential outside of this room, that I am a parvulus ex astrum. Seeing as you do not know the term, that will be your first assignment for the week. I trust you know your way to the library, so please go ask Madam Pince for the book entitled Wizarding with Special Gifts and prepare a short essay on the topic. We will meet again on Friday."

Bewildered, Ariana left the gargoyle and made her way to the library. After following Madam Pince to the dustiest and darkest corner of the library to find the book the headmaster had mentioned, she took a seat near one of the great windows that overlooked the lake, and began to search for the term. Finding it, she flipped to the page, and took out a quill and parchment on which to take notes. 

Parvulus Ex Astrum

For centuries, some wizards have been able to accomplish magic without the aid of a wand core substance. These incidents typically showed themselves prior to the start of traditional wizard training, and in most cases stopped shortly after the witch or wizard began to gain control over wand based magic. Due to this fact, the occurrence of incidents was considered to be due to the children's ability to perform magic showing itself, and nothing more. In fact, after much testing and research by ministry researchers, it has been determined that in some cases, these instances can be signs instead of a different form of magical ability in these children. The term used to describe these gifted individuals is Parvulus ex Astrum, or Children of the Stars. The term refers to the ability of these children to pull magic not from a wand core (although most lose or suppress their abilities once trained to do so) but from nature and natural currents in their surroundings. Being as the way to diagnose a child with this gift is very uncertain, and that many instances are simply the signals that a child has the magic necessary to be a witch or wizard, and not that they are a parvulus ex astrum, most go untrained and unknowingly about their lives, trained as average witches and wizards. The gift is believed to be fairly rare in the wizarding community, although due to the confusion over the subject, guessing the numbers is just that, a guess, and exact data will not be accessible until suitable diagnosis can be determined. The subjects that have been studied say that they excelled once reaching the point of silent spells, presumably because it tapped into their innate ability to pull magic without a spoken spell. In any case, no information is available on how or why these children are born with this gift, and research cannot be successfully done until a scientific agreement has been reached on what constitutes a parvulus ex astrum, and how to determine if I child possesses the gift.

Scribbling down several notes based on what the book had said, Ariana felt that this choice of topic didn't really make much sense to her as a first assignment. It seemed a strange topic to start on, and not one linked to her other subjects from what she could tell. Deciding to appease the headmaster and ask more at their next meeting, she picked up her books and returned to the Slytherin common room.

Not long after Ariana had settled into the deep green armchair before the fireplace, did Pansy stroll into the common room and join her at a nearby seat.

"Ariana, I wanted to talk to you, woman to woman about an issue very close to my heart. It's about Draco. He asked us all to welcome you, and as he is so influential to all of us, we will oblige. However, there is something I would like you to be aware of, and that is that I have had my eye on Draco for more than six years now. He and I are a perfect match in everyway possible, and I don't need some American transfer botching my plans to make him mine. So in return for all of us treating you as a part of this family, you will stay away from my Draco. Is that clear?"

"Yes, it is. I apologize, but I did not know."

"And now you do."

Putting on a lovely smile, Pansy took her hand and led her out of the common room, mentioning how glad she was they had chatted, and pretending the whole affair had never happened. Draco exited the shadow filled doorway of his dorm, and followed them to the great hall.

Swooping up to the Slytherin table, where many of the students had already started to gather, he bowed his head to Ariana, and swept up to Pansy offering his hand.

"Pansy darling, might I have a moment to talk to you?"

"Certainly Draco!" With a smile to Ariana, she and Draco walked out of the hall and headed for a more private hallway to have a talk. Finding an abandoned alcove near a statue of a Gregorian monk, Draco released Pansy's arm and pushed her against the wall, holding her back against the cold stone, he hissed in her face.

"Pansy darling, I've told you I have no interest in you. We've had this discussion before, and I can guarantee that my answer will not change, especially given recent occurrences regarding your future master. I trust your allegiances have not changed."

A now frightened looking Pansy glanced down at Draco's arm where he had removed his watch, revealing a deep black snake tattoo swirling through a shimmering skull. Looking back up to Draco's eyes, she realized just what this meant for her. Bowing slightly to show respect, she whispered with averted eyes.

"You did not tell me the dark lord had accepted you into his service."

"I was instructed not to share that information yet, but you have stepped into the way of my mission, and I felt you must be informed so you would understand the weight of the situation. Do not stand between Ariana and myself, or you shall displease the master you hope to serve. "

Letting go of her shoulder, he offered his arm much like she had done to Ariana in the common room, reverting back to his charming façade, and walking her back to the great hall and taking his seat for dinner.


End file.
